Recently named Ebony magazine Editor-in-Chief Amy Dubois Barnett and entrepreneurial prodigy Farrah Gray are among those named to the inaugural list of The Urban Business Roundtable’s Top 40 Game Changers. The list was created by (UBR), The Urban Business Roundtable, WVON-AM‘s weekly black business radio show, to recognize Chicago’s top black business achievers ages 40 and under. “Our goal is to honor some of the most dynamic young talents, executives and entrepreneurs in the third largest city in the country,” says UBR Executive Producer TaQuoya Kennedy.
The UBR Top 40 Game Changers were feted at Chicago’s Casino Club on the evening of Thursday, August 5, at a reception co-hosted by UBR sponsor Ariel Investments, the BE 100s financial firm. Awards were presented to each of the honorees by Ariel Investments President Mellody Hobson, Midway Broadcasting Chairman and WVON Radio CEO Melody Spann-Cooper and BlackEnterprise.com Editor-in-Chief and UBR Host Alfred Edmond Jr. The event was also attended by leading members of Chicago’s black business community, including Ariel Investments Chairman and CEO John W. Rogers Jr. and Target Market News Publisher Ken Smikle, whose son Jason Smikle was also among those honored.
Chicago’s Top 40 Game Changers are as follows:
Amy Dubois Barnett, Editor-in-Chief, Ebony Magazine
Christopher Brakenridge, Co-founder, Agriculture Clothing
Milton Latrell, Co-founder Agriculture Clothing
Lance Briggs, Linebacker, NFL Chicago Bears/Founder, Briggs4Kidz
Rashid Carter, Economist, Professor, City Colleges of Chicago
Kristin Finney-Cooke, Principal, Mercer’s Chicago Office
Zoe Damacela, Owner, Zoe Damacela Apparel
Lashawn Ford, Illinois State Representative/Founder, Ford Desired Realty
Ghian Foreman, Founder, Maktub Investments
Sylvia Fowles, Center, WNBA Chicago Sky
Farrah Gray, Owner, Farrah Gray Publishing
Gaynor Hall, News Anchor/Reporter for WGN TV and WGN News
Bonita Hatchett, Attorney, K&L Gates
Darryl Hawks, Sportscaster, NBC 5
Celeste Watkins-Hayes, Professor, Northwestern University
Rejji Hayes, Director of Corporate Finance, Exelon Corporation
Yusef Jackson, Chairman, Integrity Multimedia
Charles Jenkins, Pastor, Fellowship Baptist Church
Kenny Johnson, President and CEO, Richmond Group
Nicole Jones, Chairman and Founder, Sensual Steps Shoe Salon
Victoria Knox, Founder, VJS Enterprises
Spencer Leak Jr., Vice President, Leak and Sons Funeral Homes
Tamika Martell, President, A-Line Style Services
Ray McElroy, Chaplain, Chicago Bears/Founder, A Ray of Hope on Earth
Yvonne McNair, Owner, Captivate Marketing Group
Joshua Mercer, Founder, Swish Dreams
Curtis R. Monday, Owner, The Curtis R. Monday Insurance Agency
Tonya Ojuluwayo, Owner, Splice Kitchen
Eric Reeves, Vice President and General Counsel, Duchossois Industries Inc
Lynn Richardson, Chief Operating Officer, Russell Simmon’s Hip Hop Summit Action Network
Derrick Rose, Point Guard, Chicago Bulls
Jason Smikle, Partner, Truly Unique Vision
Dr. Ozzie Smith, Co-Founder, Smith & Smith Smile Studio
Dr. Patrick Smith, Co-Founder, Smith & Smith Smile Studio
Malcolm Speller, Jacobs Engineering Group
Shundrawn Thomas, President, Northern Trust Securities Inc.; Author, Ridiculous Faith
Jason Tyler, Senior Vice President, Investment Committee/Director of Research Operations, Ariel Investments
Chris Welch, Partner, Sanchez Daniels and Hoffman
Monee’ Fields-White, freelance writer/contributor, The Root
Ytasha Womack, Author, Post Black: How A New Generation is Redefining African American Identity